Landlord offers perspective on calls for rent strike

Anthony McCaskill is the chairman of the South Suburban Regional Black Chamber of Commerce. McCaskill is offering his perspective as a landlord on the prospect of rent strikes and rent freezes during COVID-19. Photo courtesy of Anthony McCaskill
Anthony McCaskill is the chairman of the South Suburban Regional Black Chamber of Commerce. McCaskill is offering his perspective as a landlord on the prospect of rent strikes and rent freezes during COVID-19. Photo courtesy of Anthony McCaskill

Landlord offers perspective on calls for rent strike

BY TIA CAROL JONES

Due to economic hardships as a result of COVID-19, including layoffs and underemployment, people have called for freezes to paying rent, as well as rent strikes.

But one landlord says while those things will help the renter, it doesn’t help landlords who have to pay their mortgages on time and who aren’t getting a break.

Anthony McCaskill is the chairman of the South Suburban Regional Black Chamber of Commerce and represents more than 300 small businesses. McCaskill wrote a letter, “Rent is due, but seek cooperation from your landlord when in need.” In the letter, he said that while there is a focus on the health and safety of individuals during the current pandemic, he acknowledged financial strains are causing anxiety too.

“A lot of our members are landlords, including myself, I have several properties. And, it’s already a struggle trying to collect rent without a strike or a freeze,” he said. “No one’s considering the small business owner or landlord when it comes to mortgages,” McCaskill said. Banks, like Chase and the others, aren’t accepting the idea of tenants not paying their rent, he said. “They want their money.”

McCaskill said he’s all for helping others, but added he has tenants who are essential workers who are still employed and being paid.

“I don’t think that it’s fair if they’re still going to work they don’t have to pay rent, that’s crazy,” he said. “I understand all about helping people. At what point, where do the small businesses get help?”

McCaskill said he still has to make his mortgage payments and the county still wants the taxes for the properties that he owns.

“Someone had to say something. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t have a platform to speak upon, but I do because I do own several pieces of property and I represent people who own property,” he said.

McCaskill said he is hearing from other landlords who own property and who are asking what will happen if there is a rent strike or rent freeze? He said if his tenants decided not to pay their rent, he would lose everything.

He said he’d have to file for bankruptcy and would lose everything he’s worked for over the last 26-27 years. “I would lose everything. I would have to start over from scratch,” he said. “And then, I would have to rebuild my credit. I would have to beg and plead. And, I worked very, very hard to get to the point I’m at now, and so did other people.”

McCaskill said that while compassion and flexibility have always been there, he said communication between tenants and landlords is very important.

“If you are having trouble paying your monthly rent, communicate as soon as possible with your apartment manager about a payment plan that works for you both,” he wrote in the letter. “In many cases, landlords are waiving late fees and extending grace periods; they are likely already having some of these same conversation[s] with your neighbors,” he added.

McCaskill also listed resources for those who want to file for unemployment, the number to the Homelessness Prevention Call Center, as well as other resources for service workers and for those who receive tips.

He said he wants to give all of his tenants the opportunity to file for unemployment or to file for “whatever they can.” These resources help him to pay the mortgages so that in the end, both he and the tenant can keep the home.

Providing these resources will help tenants to “do what’s necessary to be successful,” he said.

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